Puppet

CHAPTER 39:


As the police inspected the bodies, Luke and Kiyoshi stayed hidden in the shadowy corner. Luke held Kiyoshi close. Kiyoshi’s teary cheek rested on Luke’s covered chest. Luke’s left hand gently brushed at Kiyoshi’s hair in a repeating motion.

Once the bodies covered, and carried away, Kiyoshi turned his head further into Luke’s white shirt and allowed more tears to flow. He had soaked Luke’s shirt, but neither man worried over that.

Luke held his puppet close. He allowed his puppet to shed every tear. In the past, Luke had once disliked Kiyoshi’s babyish personality. He was always firm with Kiyoshi; told Kiyoshi he was a cry-baby and that he needed to act more his age. Now, in this situation, at this moment, Luke allowed Kiyoshi to cry. Luke did not cry. He stayed silent as he watched the bodies being carried away.

The hotel was now closed for further investigating. Luke and Kiyoshi stayed calm when talking with the officers. Though they already knew the murderer, they kept to themselves.

“No more people,” Kiyoshi whispers to his self, “No more people will get hurt.”

“Thanks for your help,” spoke the officer named Sashirou, “We’re moving everybody to a different hotel. Um…if you’d like my men could give you two a ride there…”

“That’s alright,” Luke interrupts, “We’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Officer Sashirou bows, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

--

Kiyoshi grows cold once he and Luke exit the hotel with the other people. All of the annoyed, scared mortals walk with the officers to their newest location, but Luke silently pulls Kiyoshi around a back alleyway.

Wrapping his arms around Luke, Kiyoshi stares up at him in question. “Luke, where are we going?”

“To see some old friends,” Luke smiles, “who may be able to help us.”

--

Each immortal turns their heads to see Luke and Kiyoshi. It’s been so long. Kiyoshi smiles at all of them, but then can’t help but cry. “Ivalyn” Kiyoshi runs into her warm arms, “They’re dead! Ra—Ra he…”

“Calm down Kiyoshi,” Ivalyn soothes, “What happened?”

“Ra,” Luke speaks loudly, “Has killed Kiyoshi’s friends. He’s finally begun his revenge rampage. He’ll be after Kiyoshi next, and then me.” All immortals stare wide-eyed.

Ivalyn gently strokes the shaking back of Kiyoshi. “Why’d he,” Ivalyn frowns, “Why’s he such a monster?”

“Kiyoshi and I cannot stay here,” Luke frowns, “This will be our final farewell.”

Each immortal stares shockingly at Luke. A hint of sadness enters their eyes.

Teo let’s out a snort, and storms over to Luke. “And what the hell does that mean, huh?” Teo crosses his arms, and stares angrily into Luke’s eyes, “What do you mean by saying, “This is our last farewell? You can’t possibly mean that…”

“I do,” Luke continues; his voice is soft, “I’m leaving. You will never see me or Kiyoshi again.”

“What,” Rod yells, “That’s madness!”

“Gah,” Teo grabs Luke by the collar, “He’s just lying to us! Of course he’ll be back! You’re our leader, Luke. Huh, though I must admit lately you haven’t been that good of a leader!”

“Teo…” Ivalyn goes to argue with her own puppet, but he continues on.

“You’re always running out on us,” Teo yells, “Leaving us to hang out with him!” Teo points at Kiyoshi. “Before he came along, we were good! Hell, we were great! Sometimes I wish that your puppet was one of us, instead of some mortal…” Teo’s sentence was cut off as he flew to the ground. He grabbed held of his burning left cheek. Luke had punched him.

“Teo,” Luke whispers, “You are still my best friend, but right now you’re acting very selfish.” Luke stands over Teo. “Kiyoshi was chosen to be with me,” Luke speaks calmly, “So I must help him at this time.” Luke puts his hand out towards Teo, “Here…”

Teo was still angry, but he accepted Luke’s hand.

“Teo,” Luke smiles, “I see how much you care for me, for Kiyoshi, and for this group. That is why once we are gone, I accept you, and Rod, to be great leaders for the group.”

“Are you…” Teo whispers, “Serious?”

“Yes” Luke nods, “You and Rod are now in charge—of everything.”

From behind Teo, Rod steps over to the two and he gives Luke a respectful bow. “You’ve been a true leader,” Rod smiles, “We’ll all miss you.”

“Yes,” Jewels takes a puff from her cigarette, “We all will…”

“I know,” Luke bows also, “Thank you.”

Ivalyn comes to a stand. She still held Kiyoshi, whose tears were beginning to settle.

Luke turns back to Teo. “So,” Luke said, “Will you be a leader for your friends?”

Teo never expected Luke to use the word friends. Luke never once used to refer to him, or anybody else as a friend. Teo knew that Kiyoshi has changed Luke, but now Teo knew that that change was something—something fantastic. Standing tall, Teo firmly shook Luke’s awaiting hand. “Yes,” Teo smiles, “I promise you, my friend.”

Luke nods, and heads over to Kiyoshi. He takes Kiyoshi’s hand and leads him toward the door, but they take a final turn to smile at the immortals Kiyoshi has learned to love and Luke has learned to appreciate. “You are true immortals,” Luke smiles, “And I will miss you all so much.”

“We will miss you, too,” Ivalyn waves, “Promise us you’ll protect Kiyoshi.”

Luke sighs, and holds his puppet close. “I promised that a long time ago…”

--

Luke opened the closet within his room. There was a load of junk in there which he’s never used, never even taken a gander at. He’s finally decided to see if anything within the closet would be useful to him or Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi was sleeping on Luke’s bed. Luke moved silently as he packed what little he could into a large black suitcase. Luke would never come back here again, and he had more then one reason why he was leaving; this power of his. He knew that if it got out of control, he was sure he might hurt, or worse, even kill one of his immortal friends. He did not wish to risk that.

As Luke cleaned out the closet; finding sheets, more clothes, and even an ancient looking baseball bat, he slowly began to hum Kiyoshi’s song. He had memorized the words. The ‘little one,’ the ‘light,’ the ‘evil’, and the ‘darkness,’ all mentioned in the song; Luke memorized them. He also felt that the song meant something—he could not place his tongue on it. However—that would soon change.

“What’s this,” Luke raises an eyebrow, and pulls out an item at the bottom of a dusty brown box, “This is…” It was a silky black sheet. It looked in perfect condition. Luke was struck dumb. He never remembered buying something like this. It was very silky, very soft. It was as black as—as darkness. “Is this even mine?” Suddenly, as Luke held the silk sheet closer to his body, something hit his mind. His body began to shake; his muscles tightened, and he felt as if almost every bone in his body was cracking and/or popping out of their sockets. Grabbing his head; Luke watches the black sheet fall. Something was coming into his mind; a power? He could see his power. He sees a figure—it was Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi was smiling at him.

“Hurry Luke,” Kiyoshi waves, “We don’t want to be the last ones there!” The flashes grew longer, larger. Luke was confused. What were these images?

“What’s…” Luke falls to his knees, “What’s going on? Is that—is that me?” A lonely figure runs through Luke’s mind. It is him, but he’s different. His skin is white; his eyes were filled with emptiness. He had blood dripping down his lips, and lying in the blackness was Kiyoshi, only Kiyoshi was dead, “Blood,” Luke heaves, “Blood’s the evil!” In his mind, something else appears. He looks down. Were those rose petals? “Roses,” Luke heaves, “Roses are the love!” He glares at the black silk sheet that had fallen to the ground, “And the darkness,” Luke heaves, “The darkness is coming out!”

Soon the pain was gone. Soon the nightmarish images had vanished. With his arms falling to his sides, Luke slowly rises to his feet. His head is lowered as his body turns to face Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi was still asleep. A tiny moan passes through his lips as he turns his body towards where Luke stands.

Luke frowns at the fragile sleeping form. “Destiny—it really was just destiny.”

--

Kiyoshi soon immerges from sleep. He had slept well, and let his eyes open slowly as he gave a stretch. When his eyes began to adjust, he finally realized something was wrong. He was not in Luke’s bed. Sitting up, Kiyoshi saw he was lying on soft green grass. He lay beside some bushes, too. “Where—where…” Kiyoshi grew frightened. Had Ra found him? Did Ra kidnap him and bring him here? Looking around, Kiyoshi’s eyes soon stopped on a figure looking out at a sparkling blue lake. The figure, however, was not Ra. It was Luke. “Luke,” Kiyoshi stands to his feet, “What’s going on? Where are we?”

Kiyoshi waits for a response. His eyes glance around. It was like some forest or wood. There were no other people around. “Luke,” Kiyoshi shivers, “Where are we?”

Luke soon begins to move. He turns to face Kiyoshi. In his arms he holds the black silk sheet, and a bouquet of red roses.

Kiyoshi stared strangely at Luke before looking down at the sheet and roses. “Luke,” Kiyoshi whispers, “Where’d you get that?”

Luke does not answer Kiyoshi. Setting the bouquet aside, he unfolds the silk black sheet and spreads it over the green grass. He stares up at the confused Kiyoshi. His face seemed expressionless; motionless again. “This black sheet,” Luke softly says, “Represents darkness.”

Kiyoshi grew confused, but it grew worse as he watched Luke gather up the bouquet of red roses. “Luke…what…?”

Luke begins to rip the roses apart. Kiyoshi is taken back by this, and watches as Luke spreads the rose’s petals across the silk black seat. “These roses,” Luke continues, “Represent your love; our love.”

Luke begins to move towards Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi begins to sweat. “Luke, you’re scaring me.”

Luke pulls something from out of his black pocket. It was a small knife. Kiyoshi watched with horror as Luke cuts his own hand, and the blood drips onto the red rose petals and black silk below. Kiyoshi grows more scared as Luke grabs his own arm. Kiyoshi winces in pain as Luke cuts his hand now, and his blood joins Luke’s on the silk sheet and rose petals below. “Our blood mixed together,” Luke whispers, “Represents the evil…”

“Luke you’re scaring me,” Kiyoshi watches as Luke heals his wound, “What’s going on? Why did you do that?”

Kiyoshi’s fear rose. Luke slowly began to sing a song, but not just any song. Kiyoshi heard the words of his mother’s song come open.

“Don’t you fear, little one.

Keep this rose by your side.

Don’t you worry, little one.

It’ll protect you, its love is your light.

Don’t let the hatred get its way.

Don’t let the darkness cover you in.

Just keep this rose by your side.

You’ll be fine, little one.”
Kiyoshi was very surprised by Luke singing this. That, however, was not what fully frightened Kiyoshi. As Kiyoshi stared into Luke’s eyes, his widened at hearing the second verse of his mother’s song. The verse he, himself, had forgotten. Luke now sang it as if he knew it all along.
“Fight this evil, little one.

Keep this rose by your side.

Fight the evil, little one.

It’ll protect you, its love is your light.

Make all nightmares disappear.

Don’t let the darkness cover you in.

Just keep this rose by your side.

You’ll be fine, little one.”

“How,” Kiyoshi shed tears, “How do you know that? I remember now, that—that is my mother’s song.”

“Her song,” Luke spoke calmly, “our destiny!”

“What,” Kiyoshi moves his eyes over the sheet, roses, and blood, “What do you mean?”

“The song is a sign, Kiyoshi,” Luke continues, “A sign of our being destined to be together. It’s also a sign of something else—something most deathly to even imagine about. It’s a song of warning.”

“Warning,” Kiyoshi gasped, “Warning me of Ra?”

“Well yes,” Luke spoke, “Ra is the evil you must conquer with light, but there is another evil in the song…” Kiyoshi shook his head. His vision began to grow blurry. What did Luke mean by another evil? Kiyoshi only thought of his mother’s song as just another lullaby. Lullabies are not meant to have meanings, but now as Kiyoshi thinks of lullabies, each one has a meaning. Kiyoshi’s thoughts were soon interrupted. “Take off your clothes.”

Kiyoshi stared up at Luke in shock. “What?”

“Kiyoshi,” Luke orders, “Take off your clothes.”

*End of Chapter 39*